Black Phone 2
Horror sequel feels like "A Nightmare on Elm Street" by way of an episode of "Touched by an Angel."
Film Yap is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
I was a big fan of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill’s adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story “The Black Phone” from three years back, which made me excited for their follow-up “Black Phone 2” (now in theaters).
The first film took place in 1978. We flash forward four years to 1982. Finney (Mason Thames), now 17, not only survived being taken by the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), he managed to take his attacker out. This makes Finney a target for smart-alecky kids at school, who tell him he doesn’t seem tough enough to have snuffed a serial killer. This usually results in a fight during which Finney proves his meddle and works out his feelings over having been abducted.
Finney’s sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is still having dreams that reveal morbid doings from the past, present and future much like their deceased mother Hope (Anna Lore of “Final Destination: Bloodlines”) did before her. These dreams prompt her to get a counselor-in-training job at Alpine Lake Camp in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Finney as well as Gwen’s prospective suitor Ernesto (Miguel Mora), younger brother of Finney’s late friend and protector Robin Arellano (Mora plays both roles), accompany her there.
Alpine Lake Camp is overseen by Armando “Mando” Reyes (the always welcome Demián Bichir), who’s assisted by his niece Mustang (Arianna Rivas of “A Working Man”) and holy rollers Barbara “not Barb!” (Maev Beaty) and Ken (Graham Abbey). Three boys Felix (Simon Webster, so funny in the recent “Splitsville”), Cal (Shepherd Munroe) and Spike (Chase B. Robertson) were killed at the camp back in 1957 when Hope was a counselor there. The gang must find the boys’ remains to set their souls free, give their families closure and steal power from and eliminate the Grabber’s ghost as it’s linked to them.
“Black Phone 2” is much more fantastical and graphically violent than its predecessor. It also has far more of a religious bent to it. The resulting product feels like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” by way of an episode of “Touched by an Angel.” (I did find it awesome/funny/ironic that the most pious character (Gwen) has a mouth like a sailor.)
There’s much about “Black Phone 2” that I admired. Thames, McGraw and Mora are all really good in it. I liked how “The Black Phone” was Finney’s story and how the filmmakers decided to make this one largely about Gwen. There’s also some really neat wintry imagery at play. What didn’t work as well for me is the picture’s length and pace –it’s too damned long and too damned slow. I also needed more Hawke.
While not nearly as good as its forbear – “Black Phone 2” is still a creepy call worth picking up.